Brand New Eyes
by DreamShadows
Summary: The team's busy, really busy, and can't afford to take on anymore cases. When Eliot gets a call from his aunt, he can't turn down her plea for help, and things only go downhill from there.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Brand New Eyes  
**Fandom:** Leverage  
**Artist:** **charlies_dragon** (She did an awesome job, how could I not pick her art??? So head on over to my lj to look at the art, a link is on my profile…)  
**Author:** **obuletfury302**  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Summary:** The team's busy, really busy, and can't afford to take on anymore cases. When Eliot gets a call from his aunt, he can't turn down her plea for help, and things only go downhill from there.  
**Warnings:** Violence, hurt/comfort, supernatural AU, schmoop.  
**Betas:** Thanks to the lovely **sendintheclowns** and the awesome **meg63005** for their help in making this fic better!!!  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or 3 Doors Down… Crap. 

This fic is done, and parts will be posted daily.

XXXX  
_  
I'm not supposed to be scared of anything  
But I don't know where I am  
I wish that I could move but I'm exhausted  
And nobody understands  
(How I feel)  
I'm trying hard to breathe now  
But there's no air in my lungs  
There's no one here to talk to  
And the pain inside is making me numb_

Changes - 3 Doors Down

XXXX  
_  
He ran._

His lungs burned, and the claw marks marring his right side seared in agony, but he kept running. It had been a long time since he had been as scared as he was, and he wasn't about to slow down and let the cause of that fear catch up.

This wasn't what he had pictured when he had come home.

This wasn't how he wanted to die.  
  
XXXX

The team was busy. They had been swamped for weeks. Jobs had been coming in like the world was ending, and for every one the team took, there were four more just waiting to be taken on.

Then the call came in from Eliot's aunt. The older woman had been distraught talking to the hitter.

Apparently there had been a series of disappearances and gruesome animal attacks in the small Texas town he had grown up in. Eight people had gone missing and another ten had been mauled to death.

His aunt had been worried but content to just stay inside and let Eliot's cousin, Wade protect her with his shotgun. Content to just curl up with their husky and let the outside world continue as it had been.

Then a few days ago, Wade had gone missing. The only thing that had turned up in that time was torn and bloodstained clothes. There had been no trace of his cousin since then, and Eliot could hear the fear in his aunt's voice as she fretted over his disappearance.

The woman had been devastated, fearing the worst, just knowing in her heart that Wade was never coming back. She still held out a feeble hope, but as the days passed it was getting harder and harder to keep her fractured hope together.

She had just sounded so lost and hurt that Eliot hadn't been able to ignore the call, and besides that fact, she was his only family left, and he wasn't about to lose her too.

Within a few hours of the call, Eliot had been packed and on his way to the airport. He had put off any offers of the team coming along to help him, fervently ducking the offers, and telling the team to keep their heads focused on their cases.

The team had enough to worry about at home, too many cases with too little man power, and while Eliot couldn't ignore the call, the rest of the team couldn't ignore the pile of cases in front of them.

They couldn't leave helpless people on their own.

So with a promise to check in every day and to call if he needed any help, Eliot threw his duffle in the cab of his beat up, old, red Chevy pick-up and headed out.

XXXX

Seeing the big 'Welcome to Texas' sign made something loosen in Eliot's stomach, a knot that had been firmly taught in him, unravel. It had been so long since he had been back to the state.

It had been too long since he had been home.

While he had kept in touch with his family, and a few acquaintances, Eliot hadn't actually been back to his home town since he had turned eighteen.

Breathing in a deep breath, Eliot smiled at the dry, hot air.

He was definitely home.

XXXX

"Eliot!" The yell came just as he was raising his hand to knock on the door to his aunt's bungalow. The door was yanked open and he was pulled into a fierce hug. Dropping his bag, Eliot hugged the woman back, tugging her off her feet and hugging her fiercely.

"Hey Ellie," he said softly, pulling back to look the woman over. "It's good to see you," he said, words a deep dry rasp, as he noted all the little lines bracketing her mouth and eyes, lines he was sure hadn't been there before Wade had gone missing.

"Oh honey," she sniffed, "it's good to see you too." She smiled at him, before smacking his shoulder, "Where the hell you been, boy?" Eliot opened his mouth, a little taken back at the sudden change, shutting it when it was clear he didn't have an answer for the woman.

He had never told Ellie what he had done when he left, and it wasn't like he could just blurt out the truth. _'Yeah, I've been stealing important and valuable objects for years. Liberated a few nations too!'_ She would think he had gone off his rocker!

_No,_ he decided. _It's best to not tell her._

"Oh, never mind," she sighed, waving her hand at the hallway behind her, before turning and walking down it. She seemed to know that he wasn't going to tell her anything.

About ten feet away she turned back to him, "You comin' or what?" Eliot swallowed hard and grabbed up his bag, walking through the door and following behind her. Closing the door, he leaned his forehead against the smooth wood briefly before sighing deeply and turning to trail behind her.

XXXX

"Then one morning he just didn't come back." Ellie told him, fingering the cup of tea in front of her as if she didn't know what else to do. Her eyes were reddened at the edges and bloodshot, nose still raw from crying. Another tear tumbled down her cheek and she reached up to brush it away, snuffling slightly and looking back up at him.

Eliot nodded, having already expecting most of the story she had told him. Wade had gone out hunting one morning, and hadn't come back. With all the other disappearances and deaths in the area, his aunt had feared the worst. Then his bloody clothes had turned up, and her fears had notched up and been cemented.

Eliot's family was already small enough, he couldn't risk losing anymore members. For years since his parents had died, it had just been his aunt, him, Wade and a few other straggling cousins. Straggling cousins who he didn't care half as much about as Wade and Ellie.

Losing Wade, if he was indeed gone, would be a hard pill to swallow.

"It'll be okay Ellie, whatever happens, we'll be okay." He said softly, taking one of her hands from its place around the cup and capturing it in between his own. He would do all he could to find Wade and keep his small family together. "We'll stick together and we'll be okay."

_He hoped._

XXXX

Early the next morning, Eliot loaded up his truck, checking and rechecking his rifle, and his hunting knife, making sure he was doing all he could to be safe. Simple things like hunting scared him more than working a job, there were too many unknowns, too many things he couldn't research.

Refusing to let his aunt see just how much this whole thing was bothering him, Eliot carefully set his expression, voiding any emotion that would alert the older woman to his turmoil.

Walking back to the door, he drew in a deep breath through his nose and quirked his lips in a little grin for the woman standing in the doorway. She gave him a tight smile back and reached out to hug him, squeezing tightly before letting go.

"Here," she said softly, thrusting out her hand. A paper bag hung gripped in the appendage, "in case you get hungry."

Eliot's teeth glinted in a brief flash of a smile, pulling Ellie back in for another quick hug. "What would I do without you to mother me?" He asked, his eyes crinkling in mirth.

She smacked him lightly, smiling back. "Oh honey, you'd crash and burn." She smiled for a moment more before her lips pulled down, a frown furrowing her brow.

Eliot reached out, "It'll be okay Ellie, whatever happens, don't worry." He squeezed her shoulder, and she nodded, reaching up to palm her brow.

"You're right, hun, it'll be okay." She sounded as if she doubted the words, but there was nothing Eliot could do to alleviate that doubt until he came back, with or without Wade.

"I'll be back tomorrow night, the next morning at the latest." Squeezing her shoulder once more, Eliot dropped his arm and backed up, waiting until she nodded before turning and heading for the truck.

"You better be." He heard her murmur just as he reached the old beat up Chevy. He turned and waved once more before putting the truck into gear and pulling away from the curb.

Eliot idly wondered just what the team would think if they saw just how he was acting with his aunt, and snorted when he heard Parker's voice in his mind, _"An alien come to take all of our painstakingly stolen riches."_

Wondering briefly if it was a bad thing that he knew exactly what the eccentric thief would think, Eliot shook his head and pushed the thought from his mind. Grabbing his phone from the dash, he dialed Nate, wanting to let the man know that he was heading out.

"Eliot?" _"That him, what's going on down there?" _He heard both Nate and Hardison ask at the same time. A small rueful smile pulled at his lips and Eliot snorted.

"Yeah Nate, it's me." He answered the first, ignoring the second question, checking his mirrors and flicking the turn signal on.

"What's happening?" The older man asked, and Eliot could almost hear all the emotions flitting through the words. _Concern, curiosity, relief._

"Not much, just heading out now to check out the woods where my cousin went missing. M'expecting to be out there all night, maybe tomorrow too." He pulled the truck onto the well worn dirt path that led to the local hunting grounds he and his cousin used to visit regularly.

"Okay?" It was more of a question than a statement and Eliot reached up to rub his eyes briefly before sighing.

"Nothing man, just wanted to give you a heads up before actually going out there, just in case you couldn't get a hold of me tonight or tomorrow." He pulled into a clearing and steered the truck over to the side before putting it in park and shutting off the engine.

"Sounds good, Eliot." Nate didn't sound completely convinced and Eliot felt the rest welling up before he could stop it.

"There's something here Nate, I can feel it." He again checked his knife and rifle, feeling his stomach twist again. "If I don't check in by the day after tomorrow…" He let the sentence drop, knowing Nate would get his meaning.

"Okay," the older man sighed, "okay, Eliot, I gotcha." The hitter heard the other man moving around the room on the other end of the line, pacing most likely, before he sighed again. "Be careful Eliot, if you feel yourself in trouble, get out of there. I know this is family, but you don't need to be hurt following up on this." The _'I mean it.' _was implied in the tone, and Eliot unconsciously nodded.

"Year, I hear you, man. Thanks." he said gratefully.

"Talk to you soon." It was said firmly, no room for argument.

"Yeah." Eliot nodded, and heard the line click, before pressing the _END _button. He climbed out of the cab and reached to throw his bag over his shoulder and grip his rifle, slamming the truck door.

_It was gonna be a long night._


	2. Chapter 2

Three hours later and twilight was falling, a dusky hue outlining everything and making tracking just where his cousin had headed that much harder. He could still see the faint imprints Wade's hiking boots had left, snapped brush and bents twigs.

It wasn't as if the man had been very graceful.

Pulling out a flashlight, Eliot pushed himself to keep going. He would keep looking until he either found the man, or until he ran out of time. If he was forced to take the second option, there was no doubt that he would be back out looking just as soon as he could convince Nate and Ellie there was something to keep looking for.

Scrubbing a weary hand over his eyes and up through his hair, Eliot inhaled deeply and pointed the light in the direction he had been headed. It was time to get back to tracking.

XXXX

Around two in the morning Eliot was forced to stop for the night. Exhaustion and the night's black blanket had overruled his resolve to keep looking. Even with the flashlight everything was starting to look the same, and Eliot knew if he kept looking he could get completely turned around or miss something that would set him back in his search in the long run.

Looking around, he spotted a small clearing right next to a large oak. Moving over to his camping choice, Eliot wearily slid the bag from his shoulder, his back thanking him profusely for the decrease in weight.

Setting up a survival tent came next, the hitter tying one side of the tarp to the large oak's base, and securely attaching the other two corners to the ground. He rolled out a sleeping bag under the tent and settled himself down onto it.

Unconsciously he set the rifle snuggly at his side, where his right hand would rest on it when he fell asleep. The knife stayed where it was, securely attached to his hip, and from where he was laying he had a perfect view of anyone or _anything_ that came at him.

Finally content in the knowledge that he was as secure as he could be, Eliot reached into his bag and pulled out the paper sack Ellie had sent with him. Reaching in, his hand settled on a sandwich and he pulled it out, unwrapping it, gratefully taking a bite.

He groaned low in his throat at the taste of homemade corned beef and Swiss cheese. The sandwich was gone in a few more bites, a second one following right after. After swallowing down a bottle of water, Eliot put everything back in his bag, and settled the bag in the little space between him and the tree.

With everything all settled, and his internal alarm set for six the next morning, Eliot let himself drift into a light sleep.

XXXX

She watched him. She had been tracking him since he had entered the forest hours earlier. Following carefully, staying out of sight, and keeping his every move in her periphery.

The man was well trained, senses alert and muscles coiled and ready to take on any threat that may cross his path.

He was a great potential ally and a threat, she just needed to figure out what to do with him. With that thought in mind, she took one last look at the sleeping man, and ran off through the woods, back to her pack.

XXXX

Off to his right, a branch broke, and Eliot's eyes shot open. His left hand already held the knife, the sharp blade held closely to his stomach. His right hand gripped the rifle, finger settled on the trigger. His whole body was tense, ready.

Something big enough to make a branch snap that loudly was a threat, and Eliot's jaw clenched, air hissing in and out of his nose sharply.

Slowly he turned his head, eyes searching out whatever was prowling nearby.

Sharp, intelligent eyes met his. Several sets of those eyes appeared around the other, and Eliot felt his breath catch in his throat.

Sleek canine bodies glittered in the moonlight, teeth bared, growls audible. They slowly moved in closer, muscles rippling in graceful movements under shiny fur.

Rolling over, Eliot crouched down. His rifle was at his shoulder, cocked and ready as his left hand steadied the body of the gun, still clutching the hunting blade.

Eyes tracked his every movement, heads lowering closer to the ground, muscles bunching in apprehension, growls growing louder.

He aimed as the wolves drew closer, centering his target on a white wolf at the head of the pack, and fired. A hollow 'click' filled the air as the gun jammed, and Eliot's stomach dropped.

The wolves started moving faster, as if they sensed Eliot's fear, sensed that he had just lost a line of security.

Dropping the gun, Eliot rose from his crouch, still gripping the knife tightly in his hand and turned to run.

A wolf came at him from behind, knocking the wind from his lungs, claws raking down his side. The hitter stumbled, but didn't fall, trying to pick up speed as he zig-zagged in an attempt to lose the wolves, or just gain a little head start.

His head pounded, blood rushing behind his temples, fear making his breath catch high in his chest.

He was good, a hitter that could take on anyone that came at him, even in a bad situation. This wasn't just a bad situation, and what was chasing him wasn't people. This was a situation that he didn't know how to deal with.

XXXX

Nathan Ford had a bad feeling. He knew that Eliot had told him he wouldn't be able to check in until at least later that day, but something was niggling at him.

He had woken up at four thirty in the morning, stomach clenched and heart pounding, telling him that something was wrong, that he had to get to Texas. That Eliot was in trouble.

The feeling had persisted to the point that now, an hour later he was still awake, and pacing the length of his kitchen. At one point he had showered and made coffee, when it was clear that he wasn't going to be able to get back to sleep.

Now as he paced, he contemplated the idea of going after the younger man, knowing that if it came down to nothing being wrong, he could always just explain that he had needed a break and had come down to see if Eliot needed help with his family problem. Eliot would gripe and tell him that he could handle things, but he wouldn't send Nate away.

Mind made up, Nate packed a bag and palmed his keys. He dialed the phone as he walked, calling Hardison, to let the man know that he was headed to the 'office' to pick up some supplies before he went after Eliot.

XXXX

He ran.

His lungs burned, and the claw marks marring his right side seared in agony, but he kept running. It had been a long time since he had been as scared as he was, and he wasn't about to slow down and let the cause of that fear catch up.

This wasn't what he had pictured when he had come home.

This wasn't how he wanted to die.

He pushed his aching muscles harder, still hearing the animals rushing after him. Hearing a snap off to his side, Eliot swung his head to the left, seeing a big black wolf jump at him.

Eliot swung the knife in an arc, aiming for the beast's chest. It growled at him, baring sharp teeth, lips pulled up in an ugly snarl, even as it changed course, and slammed into his side, propelling him harshly into a tree next to him.

Pain ignited in his side, ribs protesting the hit, even as the claw marks from earlier screamed at him. Another wolf hit him, making him lose his tenuous grip on his knife.

Pain flared in his hip, and Eliot looked down to see the wolf he had aimed at earlier bury its teeth. The wolves on him didn't seem particularly interested in hurting him, only keeping him still even as the white wolf bit deeper, teeth hitting bone.

He struggled, the pain fierce. Claws dug grooves into his chest the more he struggled, and he raised his arms to push the animals away. A mouth caught his right wrist in almost calculated precision, keeping it restrained, but not breaking through the skin.

He yanked on the captured limb, feeling it bruise as the wolf held on tight. His left hand pushed ineffectually at the wolves on him, even as the white wolf kept a strong grip on his hip, its eyes looking up at his face as if waiting for something.

Lethargy pulled at him, heat coursing through his entire body, making the hitter wonder if he was going to spontaneously burst into flames. He looked back down at the wolf, wondering just what was happening.

Too intelligent eyes met his, and the wolf let him go, seemingly satisfied that whatever it was trying to do, was done. Agony ripped through him as the teeth separated from his skin, a choked cry leaving him before he had a chance to stop it.

The other wolves moved away, and Eliot fell, his arms and legs numb and useless, pain blazing through him. His mouth opened as if to call out, but his voice was gone, breaths hitching as his eyes squeezed tightly together against the pain.

The pain rose, freezing the breath in his chest, and the black at the edges of his vision to spread. Whimpering low in his throat, Eliot let the dark win.

Together they would figure out what to do.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I am an idiot who didn't post in the last few days, and because of that, I leave you with a longer installment...

XXXX

They watched him, linked mind to mind. Emotions flitted through all of them as they watched him fall, watched his eyes close.

Only seconds after the man lost consciousness, his body started jerking. Harsh tremors ran through him, shaking his limp form. It only lasted a little over a minute, leaving him sweating with a frown etched deeply into his forehead.

As one, the pack lay down, all of them watching the man intently. They made a protective circle around his form, watching for any danger that would dare present itself.

They had made the decision to make the man one of them, ready to invite him into their family.

_Now all they had to do was wait. _

XXXX

_He hurt._ It was the first thought he had as he returned to consciousness.

His body felt as if it had been caught in a stampede, and then left spread on a hard floor all night. He was stiff and sore, fire spreading a path from his hip and through the rest of his body.

Opening his eyes, Eliot surveyed his surroundings. He was still in the forest, slumped against a tree, the sun shining through a clearing into his eyes. From the looks of it, it was late afternoon, which meant he had been out for almost twelve hours.

The thought jolted him out of his stupor. Memories from that morning came crashing back, the wolves, and running, the pain as he was slammed into the tree and bit. They all swirled around in his mind, leaving him breathless and scrambling further back against the tree.

Scanning the forest he saw two wolves still watching him. They lounged lazily on the ground only twenty feet from him, studying his every move.

Pulling himself to his feet, Eliot swayed into the tree, dizziness taking his coordination, washing black spots into his vision. Heat flooded through him, leaving him panting, breath seeming to take on a humid quality, making it hard to draw deep intakes of air into his lungs.

He stumbled away from the wolves, heading in the direction he had been running the night before, towards his truck. Gripping trees as he went, Eliot kept pushing himself, hearing the wolves following him as he went. It scared him that they were following him, hunting him, and yet not doing anything to stop him.

Tripping, he landed hard, coughing as the little air he was taking in, was driven harshly from his lungs. He leaned his forehead against the ground as he tried to steady his breathing, closing his eyes as he focused on the task.

A frown furrowed his brow as he felt something hard indent into his thigh. Reaching down he pushed a hand into his jeans' pocket and pulled out his cell phone. Laughing in ironic relief, Eliot held the phone up close to his face, and almost cried out in hope when he saw that he had a signal.

Pressing his speed dial, he pushed the phone against his ear, and waited.

XXXX

Nathan looked down as his phone rang, opening it without checking the display. "Hello?" He asked, looking over his shoulder to see if the rest of the team was following him as he walked through the airport.

"N-nate?" The voice was strained and weak, and without a doubt, Eliot.

"Eliot?" He asked sharply, stopping suddenly, feeling the stares of the rest of the team on him as he spoke. "Where are you? You okay?"

"Nate," the whisper was pleading, definitely not what he expected from the hitter. _"Hurts."_

"Eliot, c'mon, you gotta give me something, where are you?" Nathan was scared, hearing Eliot like this tore at him. The man was usually the strongest of all of them, even when he was hurt, never giving anything away.

"T-trees," Eliot sounded confused, like he couldn't understand why there were trees around him, as if he didn't know what was going on.

_Trees? _Nate asked himself. "A forest?" He questioned softly, looking at the team for help. They didn't seem to understand it any more than he had, and he could see the concern on their faces.

"Are you in a forest, Eliot?" He asked, only to receive silence as his answer. "Eliot?" Harsh, catching breaths sounded through the receiver, and Nate cursed quietly to himself.

"What going on?" Hardison asked, wondering why the conversation had stilted.

"I think he's unconscious," Nate answered, trying to think of something he could use to find the hitter. "Hardison, can you track his phone? If I keep the line open, can you track him through it?" The other man was already pulling out his computer as the question was asked, sitting down on a bench and booting it up.

"Yeah, I should be able to, just give me a few minutes to get into the system, it should be pretty easy from there." Keys clicked quietly as the hacker worked his way through the system, hands moving quickly over the keyboard.

Nate transferred the signal from his phone to the comm. in his ear, just listening for Eliot's breaths. The younger man sounded bad, breaths a harsh grate, in an almost panting rhythm.

"Got it!" Hardison called, breaking Nate from his thoughts. He looked over, and Hardison continued seeing the imploring look on their leader's face. "He's about twenty miles from here, in what looks like a forest. It looks like we're gonna have to hike about a mile and half to get to him."

Nodding to himself, Nate turned around and headed for the entrance, swinging his arm in the direction he was walking. "Let's go!"

XXXX

An hour later found the team hiking into the woods Eliot had tracked his cousin into. They had found his truck, parking their rental next to the old Chevy and following the signal the retrieval specialist's phone was still emitting.

During the hour they had listened as Eliot's breathing had gone from harsh pants to painful wheezes, ruthless coughs ripping through the line every so often. With every raw cough, Nate had to hold back a wince, not wanting the team to see just how bad off Eliot was.

"Looks like we're only about three hundred feet or so away from him." Hardison said, not taking his eyes from his handheld GPS.

Nate saw Eliot before any of the rest of the team. Taking off at a run, he skidded to a stop just feet from the hitter's still form, dropping to his knees. "Eliot?" He asked, reaching to roll the man over onto his back.

He was pale, sweat matting his hair around the sides of his face, dirt and pine needles caught in his hair and imprinted into his skin. His mouth was open in an attempt to draw in more air, the harsh wheezes more pronounced now that he was closer.

"Look at all the blood," Parker breathed from her spot on the other side of Eliot. Her eyes were wide as she took in Eliot's form, from his bloody torn side, to the bruises on his wrist and the gouged teeth marks in his hip.

"He's got a fever," Sophie spoke up, her hand resting gently on Eliot's forehead, concern etched deeply into her features.

Nate nodded reached down and gently slapped the younger man's cheek, trying to rouse him, to see just how bad the damage was. A low whimper sounded deep in his throat, the sound startling the team, the four of them never having heard a sound like that from the hitter.

Eliot was the strong one of the team. He was the one always saving their asses, always strong to the point that the rest of them sometimes wondered if he wasn't some sort of robot.

The thing was,_ Eliot was invincible._

Looking down at him now just left a bad taste in Nate's mouth. To see the strong man so still and broken ate at him, made him want to_ rewind._

With that not an available option, Nate settled for checking the younger man over, cataloguing injuries, and getting a reading on the fever that now raged through Eliot's body without remorse.

"Let's get him out of here, and back to his aunt's place. We can get a better look at just what's wrong there." Nate said, looking at the rest of the team to make sure they were all on the same page.

Eliot could probably use a hospital, but because they were in a town where everyone knew just who Eliot was, there was no hope of using an alias. Without the fallback of an alias, Eliot's real information would be put into the system, and anyone looking for the man, any old enemies, and any law enforcement would be led straight to him.

It would be easier to just draw them a map.

Everyone looked at him and nodded, knowing that if needed they would get Eliot the help he needed, even if they had to use less than legal ways to do it.

Field wrapping the injuries they could see, and making sure the hitter was as stable as he could be, the team lifted Eliot and started the trek back to the cars.

XXXX

_'I try hold this under control,  
They can't help me,  
Cause no one knows…'_

XXXX

Ellie watched out the window over her kitchen sink, continuously scrubbing pans until they were beyond sparkling, and instead looking worn from the harsh cleaning.

It was her latest attempt to keep her mind off the fact that she knew something was wrong, to tell herself that the bad feeling in the pit of her stomach was nothing.

She had already gnawed away at her nails until they were jagged nubs, and her attic was now clean and neatly organized. Her freezer was stocked with pre-made meals, and there were cookies and banana bread in surplus.

Her gaze had never ventured far from the street in front of the house, hoping beyond hope that Eliot would just drive up in the truck. Every time she looked and saw only an empty space in front of the lot, she felt something break inside her.

Eliot was all she had left, and if she lost him, she would be devastated.

She would be _alone._

When he had left the first time, had run away after his parents and sister had died, she had been heartbroken. She had just lost her brother and her best friend, and the look on Eliot's face when he had seen his little sister broken and dying in the ICU had been wrenching. The next morning after they had gotten the news that she had died, Eliot was gone.

Sighing sadly to herself, she rinsed off the pan in her hands and set it gently in the strainer. It would do her no good to scrub the steel any longer, it wouldn't take her mind off the fear Eliot wouldn't come home.

Running a damp hand through her graying hair, Ellie wandered over to the cabinets and started pulling everything out, intent on organizing the whole mess.

XXXX

Just as they were pulling onto the road Eliot's aunt lived on, the hitter shifted in Sophie's arms and groaned. He opened his eyes, quickly squinting them tightly shut against the glaring sun. Sucking in a sharp breath, he slowly opened his eyes to slits, and met Parker's worried gaze with his own.

His body still felt like it was on fire, every hurt multiplied by the blood coursing through his veins. Breathing was still hard, the air heavy and hot, only raising the heat coiling in him.

He tried to shift, and made a soft sound of disappointment when he found his limbs still leaden and numb.

"You're okay, Eliot, just hang on for a few more minutes." Sophie's soft voice was soothing, the cool hand that found its way to his forehead even more so. The cold was a shock against the enormous heat his body was radiating, and it felt so good to have the touch settled on him.

Making another small noise, Eliot let his eyes drift closed again and gave into the dark that swallowed him. 


	4. Chapter 4

Nate pulled in the driveway with Hardison following in Eliot's truck closely behind him. Throwing the car in park, and switching off the engine, Nate pulled himself from the driver's side and jogged around the front, pulling open the back passenger side door.

Hardison was already at his side as he pulled Eliot from the seat. Threading an arm under the younger man's shoulder, Nate looked over to make sure Hardison had done the same on Eliot's other side.

Together they moved the hitter up to the door. Parker was just raising her fist to knock when the door was jerked open.

A small, older woman looked at them torn between distraught and demanding. "Bring him in," she urged, moving back to let them past her, swinging her arm in a sweeping motion down the hall.

Parker's eyes widened but she passed the woman without a word, Sophie, Nate and Hardison holding up Eliot all followed her. The door shut with a soft 'click' behind them as they reached the end of the hallway. It opened up into a good sized living/sun room, where the woman scurried past them, standing by the end of a large sofa.

"You can lay him down here," she said, resting her hands on the sofa.

Nate and Hardison laid Eliot down where the woman pointed, backing away slightly as she moved in to check him over. Sophie knelt down next to her, their first aid kit in her hands.

Together they got him undressed down to his boxers before carefully laying him back down on the cushions. Sophie opened the kit and told Parker to get her warm water and cloths.

Just as Parker was returning to the room, water and cloths in hand, Eliot moaned on the couch. They all looked at him, seeing his face twist in pain, his body going rigid. His limbs started twitching, neck arching back, as the twitches turned to jerks and then into convulsions.

Grating chokes cut through the room as everyone looked at Eliot in shock. Surprisingly it was Parker who moved to where Eliot's head was, a rolled up cloth in her hands. "Hold him," she ordered softly, before grabbing Eliot's head and forcing his mouth open, threading the cloth between his teeth and over his tongue.

Eliot kept seizing, but the choking stopped, harsh pants replacing its mantra. Parker placed her hands on either side of Eliot's cheeks, holding his head steady as the seizure started to slow.

When the jerks and then the twitches stopped, Parker took the sodden cloth from the hitter's clenched teeth, and dropped it down on the coffee table in front of him. Looking at Nate with wide eyes.

"Change of plans," Eliot's aunt said quietly, pulling a thermometer from the unconscious man's mouth. "One oh five point eight." She looked at them, worry pinching her face. "I'm gonna go start the shower, we need to get his temp down." With that said, she stood and left the room, and a moment later they could all hear the pounding of water in the other room.

"C'mon Hardison, help me with him." Nate said, already getting his shoulder under Eliot's arm, and lifting the man off the couch.

The two men hauled Eliot down the hall, following the sounds of running water. Carefully maneuvering the injured man through the doorway, they turned him around and helped Eliot's aunt to get him over the tub side, and resting in the corner.

When the water hit Eliot's heated skin, the man jerked and moaned, shifting his head toward the wall and away from the stream of water. The water was only room temperature, but to Eliot's over-heated skin it must have felt like ice, it had to hurt.

"Shh, you're okay, hun." Eliot's aunt soothed, kneeling down next to the tub and gently threading her fingers through the hitter's wet curls. Eliot unconsciously turned into the hand, seeming to draw comfort from it.

Hardison left the room with a clap to Nate's shoulder, knowing that Eliot wouldn't want the hacker to see him as weak as he was. Nate stayed where he was, having already seen Eliot down and out, and knowing that even if she didn't say it, Eliot's aunt needed someone there to support her.

Kneeling down, he took one of the towels from the rack beside him, wetting it and threading it behind Eliot's neck. Pulling back and putting a hand on the woman's shoulder, Nate squeezed softly, heart clenching at the grateful smile she shot him.

_Now all they could do was wait._

XXXX

Nearly an hour later, Eliot was tucked into the guest room's bed. His wounds had been dressed and his fever was down and hovering around 103.5. It wasn't good, but considering where it had started, it wasn't exactly bad either.

Ellie sat by his side on the bed, one big calloused hand clutched tightly in between her two tiny ones. The heat radiating off of him scared her, made the fear of losing him all the more real.

She had been sitting with him since he had been settled, making introductions from her spot beside him. She had liked Eliot's friends, his _team_, and had been so grateful to them for all their help, and their promise to stay with them until Eliot was better and everything that had been going on was solved.

Looking down at Eliot she felt her lips pull taught in concern and her eyes water. A deep frown marred his glistening forehead, and little lines pulled at the corners of his eyes and mouth. His pallor made the deep bruising under his eyes stand out, making him appear just this side of death.

Reaching up, Ellie pressed the frown from his forehead, wincing at the hot press of skin against her finger tips. She grabbed a wet cloth from the bowl on the bedside table and squeezed it out before softly running the cool, damp cloth over Eliot's face and down his neck.

Sweat had pooled in the dip of his throat, and lips pulling down, Ellie dipped the cloth and rung it out again before running it once more over his throat and the top of his chest. Putting the cloth back in the water, she sighed deeply and rested her palm on Eliot's chest, over his heart, needing to feel the reassuring, rhythmic beating beneath her hand.

She needed to know that he was going to pull through this, that he was still going to be there tomorrow.

XXXX

Nate and Sophie watched Ellie's interaction with Eliot from just outside the doorway. They didn't want to interrupt the small family, knowing that was just what it was; a _family._

It wasn't the biggest or the richest, but even from where they stood, the thieves could see the love Ellie had for Eliot. They knew from the way Eliot had acted before leaving, and the way he had gone after Wade and whatever had been happening, that the feeling was mutual.

"He'll be okay, Nate." Sophie murmured, her hand finding a place on the small of Nate's back. "He's Eliot, he has to be okay."

Nate nodded, muscles tensing beneath her hand. "Yeah, he will be. He won't let something like a bite take him down; take him away from Ellie. With all he's been through, this isn't the end." She could hear the fear in his voice, the indecision.

None of the members of the team were particularly trusting people, and not one of them thought that they were capable of forming bonds with anyone in their lives that they hadn't known before going into their career choices. It had taken a while but that theory had been proven wrong, and over time, they had found themselves caring for their other team members. They had become a makeshift family when no one was paying attention.

If it turned out that Eliot wasn't going to get better, it would hit everyone hard. It would be like burying a brother, and none of the team was ready to lose another person in their lives. None of them was ready to give up someone they cared about as much as they did Eliot.

"The team's not getting smaller, I won't allow it." She said firmly, and Nate's eyebrows rose. He seemed to think it over and nodded to himself.

"We're not losing him." He agreed just as adamantly.

XXXX

Fire ate at him. It felt like the blood running through him was lava, like he was ready to erupt. It hurt, and Eliot wondered if he was dying, if everything he had done was for nothing.

Breathing was a chore, air wheezing in and out in small gasps, leaving his lungs aching and unsatisfied. "C-can't bre-breathe." The words were stuttered and slurred, the effort it took to say them, leaving him spent and weak.

Fighting against unconsciousness was becoming harder and harder every time he woke from his fever fueled dreams of infernos. Just waking was almost impossible, and when he was even close to consciousness, voices beat at him.

_"Where are you?"_

"Are you okay?"

"Don't fight the change, it'll only make it harder."

"Tell us where you are."

The voices were calming, feeling like a long lost connection that he hadn't known he'd been missing, but now that it was there, it would have killed him to lose it. At the same time, he wondered if he was losing his mind, wondered if he had just gone insane after the wolves had bitten him.

Had they even bitten him?

_"Yes, I bit you. You were special, even more so now." _The voice was soft and honey sweet, full pink lips quirking the impression of a grin in his mind, lulling him back to calm.

The other voices beat at him, but that soft alto that sometimes interspersed his thoughts had calmed him more than he had wanted to admit. It was the same calming influence his mother had when he was little and she used to tuck him back into bed after a nightmare.

But the fact still remained that it was scary hearing things, especially after the night he had, and Eliot didn't know how much more he could take. Between the attack, and the fire that now beat at his body, he was at his wit's end. Adding in voices to the mix, voices only he could hear, was just about enough to drive him over the edge.

_"Tell me where you are, my love."_ There it was again. He was tired of fighting it, of trying to hold off the voices and giving them the information they wanted.

His last thought was of his Ellie's address, a mental picture of her house, and the impression of a smile through his mind.

XXXX

Four hours after the team had brought Eliot back to Ellie's place, soft knocking on the front door broke everyone's concentration. Ellie stood from her place in a chair next to her nephew's bed, headed to answer the door with Nate, Sophie and Hardison close behind her. Parker took Ellie's place next to Eliot, not wanting the hitter to be alone.

When Ellie opened the door, a startled gasp forced its way out of her. Before her stood a tall blond woman with stunning bright blue eyes, a light smile on her lips; and Wade. Both of them were smiling at her, albeit Wade a little uneasily.

Taking a second glance at the woman, Ellie dismissed her momentarily in order to throw her arms around Wade. He returned the embrace just as fiercely, burying his nose in her neck, and squeezing her tight.

For a moment, Ellie enjoyed the feeling of her son in her arms, and then she felt the heat. His body felt as if it was at the same temperature as Eliot's, but pulling back and studying Wade, Ellie was confused.

Her son didn't look sick, in fact he looked healthier than she had ever seen him, and if she wasn't mistaken, he had put on a good deal of muscle mass in the stretch of a week. He was also dressed in clothes she had never seen, designer jeans encasing his long legs and a sleek black button down. The only thing that was the same were the black boots he had been wearing when he had left to go hunting.

"Mama," he said softly, drawing her from her thoughts, making her look up at him, taking in his eyes, a lighter shade of vibrant green than they had been when he left. Seeing her attention was finally focused on him, Wade smiled, "I missed you." He breathed, reaching out and pulling her back to him.

"I missed you too," she sobbed, curling her fingers into his shirt, and hugging him tighter.

"Ma'am?" A gentle voice asked from beside her. She turned to look at the woman once more, but kept her hold on Wade, afraid her son would disappear if she let go. "My name is Savannah," she held out her hand, "and I think we need to have a talk." She smiled again, gripping Ellie's hand warmly in her own before letting go.

"We can talk inside," Ellie said, a little wide eyed, and let go of Wade long enough to loop long fingers around his wrist and pull him inside. Savannah followed them, still smiling serenely as Ellie led the way.

XXXX

For some reason, Ellie felt compelled to take Savannah and Wade to Eliot's room, it felt as if she were being pushed toward him. It was odd, but she let the sensation flow through her, let it take the lead, and before she knew it, she was sitting on the bed by Eliot's side, gently carding fingers through his hair.

Savannah and Wade stood on the other side of the bed, looking down at Eliot fondly, while the team stood behind Ellie in case something should go wrong. Savannah sat gracefully next to Eliot on the other side of the bed, reaching out to touch the hitter's shoulder, and a low mewl pulled itself from deep in his throat.

Savannah frowned deeply, not liking the fact that the man was in pain, that he wasn't as healed as he should be. Without thinking, she crawled on the bed and curled into his side, resting her head on his shoulder and giving him the comfort only an Alpha could.

Nate tried to protest the move, not understanding why this woman they barely knew was being as intimate as she was. When he moved closer to try and pull her away, two loud growls ripped through the room, and where Wade had been standing, a large wolf now stood, snarling at Nate.

Giving the team leader a pointed look, he growled again and waited for Nate to move back before he too jumped on the bed, turning in a circle a few times before curling around Savannah. She reached a hand over and tangled it in his fur, immediately calming him.

Savannah looked up at the team and Ellie, who now stood shaking and scared next to the bed. "We're shifters," she said quietly, scratching Wade's side where he lay next her. "And now, Eliot is too." She said this as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, as if shifters were things people saw everyday.

Ellie shook her head and raised a shaking hand to cover her mouth, slumping in the chair that still sat next to Eliot's bed. Nate rested a comforting hand on her should, but he and the rest of the team were just as shocked as she was.

Hardison ground the heels of his palms into his eyes, and stared at Savannah like she was crazy, while Sophie just stood there, slack jawed and wide eyed.

"Well, that's not something you see everyday." Parker said perkily, grinning big as she took in the three on the bed. "Can I join?" 


	5. Chapter 5

His mind swirled, a mass of questions and dulled agony, and Eliot couldn't find it in himself to fight past the wall that had constructed itself in front of his way out. He fought hard to pull himself close enough to consciousness to feel his aunt's squeeze to his hand and the soothing promises she whispered to him.

Even through the darkened wall that barricaded his consciousness, Eliot could sense the members of the team near him. He felt Parker's twitchy energy, and Sophie and Nate, sedate, blended into the background but still near. Hardison was a blunted feeling of nervousness, backed closely into the corner.

It was terrifying and enlightening to feel them all around him, but more than all the others there was a presence deeply ingrained throughout his body and soul. It encompassed the energy through the rest of the room, blanketing the rest of the presences in the room.

Over everyone else in the room, Eliot felt her next to him. She was so warm, and melded right into his side, and Eliot wanted to wake up and turn his body into her, but his muscles didn't want to obey his commands. He was tired and weak, and it scared him to be as vulnerable as he was.

_'Hush my love, I'm here, you're okay. It'll all be over soon.'_ He felt lips brush against his neck and a hand rest lightly over his tense stomach.

Everything hurt, but with her next to him, everything muted, left him feeling as if he were floating, as if nothing could touch him. It was a comforting feeling, one that Eliot didn't want to lose, and for some reason he knew that she wouldn't leave him, that if he wanted it, that comfort would be there forever.

_'Stay.'_ His own broken plea whispered through his mind.

_'I'll always be here. Sleep now, you're safe.'_ Her own whisper was reassuring and pushed everything else from his mind. The fire seemed to burn a little cooler, the agony fading into the background, and Eliot gratefully accepted the relief.

_'Sleep.'_ She whispered again, and Eliot couldn't find it in him to disobey. Pushing closer to her comfort, Eliot slept.

XXXX

"I think you need to explain this," Nate said over an hour later, crossing his arms over his chest as Savannah watched him from lidded blue eyes.

Savannah looked at Eliot before nodding, more to herself than the rest of the room. Reaching for her mental connection with Eliot, she pulled him close enough to consciousness that he could listen in on what she was about to tell the rest of the team. She felt him waking, and cemented the connection even more, watching as his eyes flitted open to the barest slits.

Gold now flecked the brilliant blue of his eyes, making them appear brighter, almost ethereal. They sharpened as she felt his new senses taking hold and scanning the room with an animal like radar. She smiled, showing off pointed canines as she felt the wolf rising in him, and he smiled confusedly back, showing off his own new set of teeth.

Around them the team stared at them with awe, studying the Eliot's new features with wonder. They seemed to watch the interaction between the hitter and Savannah with a sort of reverence only held for the most treasured things. Things that usually the team went after on jobs.

It made a shiver run down Eliot's spine, and Savannah pushed her calming influence deeper as she felt the confusion in him. She frowned and tangled her fingers in the hair at the base of his neck, scratching there gently.

XXXX

Eliot had to fight to hold back the moan that threatened when the woman,_ Savannah,_ he told himself, scratched at the base of his neck. It was embarrassing just how good it felt, but he was hard pressed to think of anything that made him feel as good as it did at that moment.

"There are three different reactions to our bite," Savannah started, forcing Eliot's attention to her. He was still tired and it was hard to concentrate, but he had a feeling that whatever she was saying was going to change his life forever.

"Go on," Sophie prompted from his right. Eliot didn't bother to turn toward her, having to use too much energy focused on keeping himself awake.

"The first reaction is the most known in this country. Some people bitten turn into werewolves, only changing on the full moon cycle, and most not keeping their human sense of self. The shift is painful, and usually only lasts from the time the moon rises until the sun rises in the morning." She paused, seemingly making sure that everyone in the room understood before continuing.

"The second reaction is rarer, limited to only five percent of those bitten. In the second reaction, people are turned into shifters. We can control when we shift, and where we shift;_ and_" she said exaggeratedly, "although the moon does have a certain pull on our libido, it has no effect on our shifting. We keep our human mind, and our shifts involve little to no pain at all, unless the wolf is in a great deal of pain or under a lot of stress.

"Changes when the human is really sick or hurt can be extremely painful, and can even kill the person shifting. We do heal faster than humans though," she added with a smile and a tilt of her head. "That's what Eliot, Wade, and I are; shifters." Everyone in the room nodded, looking a funny combination of dumbstruck and awestruck.

"What's the third reaction?" Hardison asked from his spot in the corner, leaning forward a little to listen better.

"The third reaction is simple; you get bit and you die." Savannah answered solemnly.

"The maulings." Ellie whispered.

"The maulings." Savannah confirmed with a slight nod, unconsciously rubbing Wade's side, as she felt him shifting uncomfortably.

"What about the other six disappearances?" Sophie asked, voicing the question that was on everyone's mind.

"The other six bitten were in the first category of changes. They are werewolves, and shifters and werewolves don't live together. They don't really even get along." Savannah answered softly, looking over to Wade again, and patting his side gently when he growled at the memory of his own meeting with the werewolves.

"Why are you so hot?" Parker asked bluntly and out of the blue, and Eliot let out a weak snort.

Smiling indulgently at him, Savannah said, "Shifters' and werewolves' bodies run at a higher temperature than most humans. Usually our normal temperature is 101, to about 101.5. Anything over that, like Eliot here, is a temperature." She squeezed the base of his neck in sympathy. "We don't usually get sick, but there are things we can catch, and when a shifter gets sick, they get really sick."

"Why's he so calm with you?" Sophie asked, looking from Eliot to Savannah and back again.

"Because I'm his Alpha." Savannah answered simply.

"Anything else?" Nate asked, seeing Eliot's eyes glaze over a little bit.

"There is," Savannah said, once again resting her head on Eliot's chest, "but I think we should let him rest some more before finishing this conversation."

Closing her eyes, Savannah relaxed between Wade and Eliot, and reached for her connection with the hitter again. _'Rest now.'_ She murmured, feeling Eliot give into her, and his mind drift back to sleep.

She smiled and drifted lightly with him.

XXXX

The next morning when Eliot woke, he felt good. Moving his arms and legs slowly, Eliot grinned when he felt none of the pain he had felt the day before, and the fire that had been consuming him ever since the bite, was gone.

Opening his eyes he found himself alone in the room, but thinking about it, the hitter had known there was no one in the room even before he opened his eyes. His senses felt like they had been placed on speed and given an energy drink. Colors were brighter, sounds were louder and more distinct, his vision was sharper and magnified, and his sense of smell was off the charts.

Eliot felt positively _wired! _He felt like a squirrel on crack, almost ready to start bouncing off the walls.

From jobs Eliot had gotten used to adrenaline rushes, but the way he felt now put those rushes to shame. He felt better than he ever had in his life.

Hearing a light padding in the hallway, and smelling the sweet fragrance of irises, Eliot looked at the door. Savannah appeared there only seconds later, and smiled at him. The simple smile held a whole wealth of emotions, but the one that really stood out was how safe Eliot felt right at that moment.

_'Morning.'_ She whispered in his mind, and her smile widened when his brow furrowed a little in concentration. He could see her sharp canines, and the gleam in her eyes with that simple expression, and Eliot found himself wanting to make sure to make her smile like that as often as he could.

_'Hi?' _He asked sheepishly, ducking his head when she laughed.

"Hello Eliot." She murmured, sitting down on the edge of his bed.

"You," he looked up, locking gazes with hers, "you were the one that changed me?" It was an odd feeling, being so nervous and out of his element, and Eliot didn't like it at all.

"Yes, I changed you. I'm your Alpha, Savannah." She said softly, settling a hand on the back of Eliot's neck. With the simple action, his fears settled, and something seemed to click into place, her grip felt as if it belonged there, and Eliot unconsciously leaned into it.

Eliot nodded, letting all his questions go. Normally he would be chomping at the bit to get answers, but it felt somehow wrong to question the woman in front of him. He wouldn't have let it go with anyone else, but for some reason it felt shameful to even think about asking Savannah anything.

"Hungry?" She asked, and as if on cue, Eliot's stomach growled loudly. She grinned, looking ridiculously innocent and like a child, and stood.

Eliot slid from the bed after her, but looking down, he found himself in just his boxers, boxers he had been wearing for close to three days. "Shower?" He asked, feeling almost stupid at the need to ask Savannah's permission to complete the simple task.

"Go ahead," she answered amusedly, gracefully walking from the room.

Eliot watched her go, and then looked around the room, scrubbing fingers through his hair. He found his duffle on the floor next to the bathroom, and grabbed clothes, before stepping into the bathroom, and turning on the water.

The hot spray felt great on his body. It felt almost like heaven washing the dirt and grime from his skin, and feeling the water washing through his hair was enough to cause a moan of appreciation.

Regretfully stepping from the shower back onto the rug in front of the shower door, Eliot dried off and dressed in jeans and a plain black tee. Towel drying his hair, Eliot studied his new eyes in the mirror, not knowing whether or not he liked the new features.

Shrugging, Eliot hung the towel back up, and padded bare foot out into the kitchen, turning just in time to catch Parker as she jumped on his and pulled him into a hug. Smiling a little and squeezing her back, he whispered, "There's something wrong with you."

She giggled and Eliot couldn't help his own grin as he pulled back and reached for Ellie who stood tearfully in front of him. He didn't know what it was, but with his new senses came the feeling of freedom when it came to showing his emotions. It was a twist, but like anything else, Eliot adapted to the change gracefully.

"I was so afraid," Ellie whispered into his neck, and Eliot held her tighter, rubbing her back tenderly.

"I'm okay." Eliot whispered back, resting his cheek against hers.

Still holding the older woman, Eliot looked up at the rest of the people in the kitchen. _His family._ It was almost startling to see how the team and Savannah had all become his family. He almost couldn't fathom the care these people had for him, and Eliot tightened his arms around Ellie, not knowing what to do with the information.

"What's with all the chick flick moments?" Hardison asked from his stool at the breakfast bar.

"Wolves show more emotion." Wade said simply, a wry grin twisting his lips. Eliot grinned back at him, feeling as if he were a kid again.

It felt freeing, to be able to show exactly how he felt when he felt it. Eliot didn't know how he had handled being so closed off for so long. He understood that it had been necessary at the time, but being able to just show everyone everything lifted a lot of weight off his shoulders, made him feel lighter.

Pulling away from Ellie, Eliot wandered over to the table and grabbed a couple bagels, throwing them both in the toaster and wandering over to the fridge. Grabbing the cream cheese and two slices of cold pizza from the shelf and shut the door.

Setting the cream cheese by the toaster, Eliot ate the pizza in a few big bites before reaching for the toasted bagels and smearing them with cream cheese. Taking a big bite from the first bagel, Eliot looked up. Everyone in the room was staring at him, Wade's and Savannah's expressions amused.

"What?" He asked around a bite.

"Hungry much?" Nate asked with a dry grin.

"A little," he answered defensively, looking to Savannah for support.

"High metabolism," she smiled, reaching up to wipe cream cheese from the corner of his mouth. Eliot's grinned and stuck his tongue out at Nate, who looked about ready to choke on his laughter. It made Eliot's stomach twist a little when he realized that it had been a long time since Nate had really laughed, and all it had taken was a simple gesture to make it happen.

"Cute, dawg," Hardison said with a laugh of his own.

"Does this mean he'll eat us out of house and home now?" Sophie asked with a quirk of her lips.

Eliot's heart stuttered to a stop at the simple question.

Home. That meant leaving. Leaving was out of the question. He couldn't leave Savannah and Wade, the possibility hurt too much to even think about. A small hand settled on his neck in support, and Eliot relaxed almost immediately.

"What just happened? What's wrong?" Ellie asked, seeing the panic on Eliot's face.

"You can't leave your pack." Savannah said, squeezing Eliot's neck as she spoke. "It'll feel like dying, leaving a gaping wound that can't be repaired." Eliot relaxed a little at the touch, but panic still made his heart pound hard. "Only rogue wolves leave their packs, they're the only ones able to deal with the pain."

"Oh." Parker looked at Eliot, studying him carefully, her head cocked to the side. "Well I like Eliot anyway, and like this he's even more fun." She paused looking at the rest of the team. "If he's staying, so am I." She bounced over and pushed herself up on the counter, wrapping an arm around the hitter as she settled.

"Good," Eliot said hoarsely, looking at her with something akin to loving gratitude and awe. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. She leaned into his side, and something settled deeply in Eliot's chest.

"Well we all know, Parker can't be left alone, so I guess I'll be staying as well." Sophie said with a slightly dramatic huff of indignation, smiling to show she was kidding.

"Yah'all can't survive without me." Hardison said simply, although Eliot could see the grin in his eyes.

"Oh okay, I suppose I can get used to Texas heat." Nate winked conspiratorially.

"Well if that's settled then, why don't you all come stay with us?" Savannah said, dropping her hand from Eliot's neck to pat at his shoulder before walking over to Wade and sitting on his lap.

"We can't impose." Sophie said, drawing her hands up in front of her.

"Please," Savannah said, taking Sophie's hand and looking her straight in the eye, "you wouldn't be imposing, you'd be doing me a favor. Twenty three rooms are too much to handle anyway." The team's eyes widened, and she smirked slightly, "Old money." It was as much of an answer as they were going to get, and it seemed to be enough.

"Cool," Parker said, unconsciously scrubbing at Eliot's side with her nails. Eliot almost purred at the action, the sensation comforting and pleasurable at the same time, and Parker didn't even notice she was doing it.

"Besides," Savannah said, turning from Eliot with a smile, "if you really want to make it up to me, _retrieve_ something for me." A simultaneous jaw drop from Nate and Sophie caused a sputtered laugh from Eliot and Wade, and Savannah's smile widened. "All shifters in a pack are linked telepathically."

She said it like it was just that simple, like there was no other possible option, and while Nate supposed there wasn't to her, but to him and the rest of the team it wasn't even plausible. So instead of answering, Nate just smiled awkwardly at her.

"What is it with yah'all and all the smiling?" Hardison asked from his position in the corner of the room, a hard fought smirk pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"I'm happy," Eliot said serenely, leaning farther into Parker, unconsciously taking in a deep breath through his nose, and holding the scent deeply in his lungs before letting it out.

She smelled like apple blossoms and gummy worms and mischief. _She smelt like home._

There was something about Parker that just pulled at him, made him feel safe and cared for, and for Eliot to find something like that, it was a big deal. It also confused the hell out of him.

_'What is this?'_ He asked, trying to figure out just why he was so comfortable so close to Parker, and it hurt so much to even think about being away from her. Thinking of her leaving felt like shards being driven into his stomach, caused his breath to stop short in his throat.

_'She's your haven.' _Eliot could tell Savannah was holding back, but what she said made sense. He just wondered what else was going on, and what exactly being a haven meant, other than the impression of safe.

Parker seemed to sense the change too. She was staying close, and making sure that Eliot stayed calm and happy by effortless actions, actions that seemed to be unconscious in effort.

"Are you happy, Eliot?" The question came from his aunt out of nowhere, and Eliot startled back into focus.

It took him a moment to think it over, but in the end the answer was simple, "Yeah," he said hoarsely, "Yeah, I think I am." The change left him feeling loose, free and unburdened in a way he hadn't felt since before his parents had died.

"Good." The answer came from Parker, who only grinned back at him when he looked over to her.

He smiled back.

XXXX

_'Now I'm going through changes, (Changes)  
God I feel so frustrated lately,  
When I get suffocated,  
Save me  
Now I'm going through changes,  
Changes.'_

XXXX

Epilogue:

"Just let it happen, look for the wolf, feel him, and let him out." Eliot swallowed and nodded. He looked from Savannah over to Parker, and felt a little better when she smiled and gave him the thumbs up.

Closing his eyes, Eliot tightened his hands into fists and sucked in a harsh breath through his nose. He could feel the wolf pulling at him, begging him to just let it out, and clenching his fists tighter, Eliot let out his breath and let the pull take over.

It was nothing like he had ever felt before. The wolf was a serene and fully restrained beast, with instincts like any canine, to protect those it loved and rip apart anything that got in its way of protecting. He was just glad that he was in the company of those he loved.

The wolf also held a sense of freedom and a complete sense of complacency with no worries except keeping its pack and family safe. No responsibilities to anyone but the ones he cared about.

It was an awesome feeling.

Liberating.

It felt like his blood was thickening and warming, coursing through him, and leaving him on a pleasant buzz. His bones shifted and popped, muscles thickening and adapting. It was a weird, not entirely pleasant feeling, and then he found himself on all fours. His heart beat rapidly, and seeing Parker grinning at him from her position Indian style on the ground made him smile back.

XXXX

Eliot trotted toward her, tail wagging, and Parker's heart melted and turned over in her chest. He was smiling at her, could tell, and her own grin widened, eyes glinting and the sides crinkling as her dimples deepened.

"Oh, you're so pretty!" She squealed, and Eliot's tongue lolled as his grin widened and he made his way over to her.

A big grey and white wolf with bright blue eyes now stood where Eliot had just seconds before. A long snout nuzzled at Parker's face, and she giggled as his fur tickled against her face.

_'Good job.'_ Savannah's grin was wide in his mind, and Eliot snorted, a slight bark rumbling in his chest.

Parker reached up and threaded her hands through his fur, scratching gently behind his ears. Eliot sighed a deep rumble in his chest, and laid down, his head in her lap as she kept scrubbing her nails behind his ears.

Parker giggled again and looked down at him. "You need a nickname." She said thoughtfully, and Eliot rolled his eyes up to look at her. She stuck her tongue out between her lips and looked back at him, lost in thought. "Ryder?" She asked after a moment, looking down at him to make sure it was okay.

Eliot rolled the name around his head for a minute before turning his head and nuzzling her wrist in answer. She seemed to know that he was agreeing and grinned, carding her fingers through the long fur at his neck.

"Aw, that's so cute!" Eliot closed his eyes and ignored the team behind him, knowing they must have coordinated to say it in unison. Unwilling to give them the pleasure of seeing him rise to the bait, Eliot just focused on the pleasant motions of Parker's hands, and ignoring them completely.

_'It is kinda cute.' _Savannah told him with a laugh.

_'Shut up.'_

END.


End file.
